He tumbles forward. Minorities make up 73 percent of the student body. A few days before Rob was born, doctors walked his father, Robert Mendez Sr., through the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit. It isn't about what the players did right or wrong or what they need to clean up before the next game. Preston Gannaway for ESPN On this night, on the same field where this journey began, Mendez gathers his team one last time. He says he would consider prosthetics only if he ever became a father. "So I try to stay positive. I'd completely forgotten that Mendez can't feed himself. "Great job, Coach. . I put Mendez on my shoulder, turn and then set him in the chair next to me. Im fighting to have something to drink. I love that. When coaches ask you to go on an official visit, paid for by the school's program, they're using their budget to show off their school and create an impressive experience for you as a recruit. But this time, he has no idea the belt around his waist isn't buckled. And those kids gave me the feeling that I can do anything. Preston Gannaway for ESPN This can cost you more than just money. The Illinois High School Association football playoff semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 20 and the championship games Friday, Nov. 26 and Saturday, Nov. 27. Tears begin to fall. How to Be a High School Football Coach Download Article parts 1 Gaining the Necessary Skills 2 Landing a Job 3 Becoming a Great Coach Other Sections Related Articles References Co-authored by wikiHow Staff Last Updated: June 10, 2021 References Coaching high school football requires more than passion for the game. As a senior, had 74 catches for 1,229 yards and 18 touchdowns . You MUST have the correct code in order to receive tickets. I might take two steps forward and then one step back. And 26 percent of the school's students are economically disadvantaged. "This is a defining moment for our program," Vierneisel said. However, the phrase was not born on the gridiron. Instead, Mendez repeats two words over and over and over: thank you. "I'm not going to let that happen. What do you want out of this year? The last question is far more complicated. "It wasn't very polite or sensitive. Coaches from Southwestern University and Nicholls State University will lead this showcase and will be joined by other college coaches from various programs. I just want to prove them wrong. He doesn't eat right. With the pen, Mendez draws the X's and O's of what the play is supposed to look like and why. Eating breakfast. "I love you, bro. "They don't have the grief of losing a limb because they never had it. But on this late July night, 30-year-old high school football coach Rob Mendez has a taste for sushi. Rio Fujita Math Wizard. If I'm sitting there and don't smile or say hello, I just feel like that's rude.". "We are two very different people. Along the way, Cable invited Mendez's two best players to move to varsity. His father has long wished that Rob would wear an upper belt as well as the one that wraps around his waist. Mendez shakes his head. "You don't need to apologize," Mendez says. On this day, one of his freshman quarterbacks struggles to grasp the footwork on the 37 stretch. How High School Football Coaches Help Their Players Get Recruited Sanjay Kirpalani July 5, 2013 Dothan (Ala.) High School head coach Kelvis White is one example of prep coaches doing. "I like the way I am, really," he says. Work Environment Part-time work is common for coaches and scouts. Preston Gannaway for ESPN. "There's no way," he says. he says. Lewis Hamilton living the hell out of life, Jalen Ramsey: The man, the mouth, the legend. "I use my neck like my arm," Mendez says. The more we talk that night the more one word keeps popping up: How. Minorities make up 73 percent of the student body. ! He's had people who hear his story and then approach him in tears. Afterward, Bob says doctors and nurses would walk by and stare. The 14-year-old wraps his arms tightly around Mendez's back. I couldn't tell you what it felt like to catch a ball in the flat, but I knew what it was and why it worked.". His head drops. "Get over here!" But Mendez won't give up that easily. ESPN senior writer Wayne Drehs contributed to the documentary as a writer and reporter. I mention that it seems as if anything that reminds him of his physical challenges bugs him. It's only junior varsity. Good s--- you've done with those kids. He has scoliosis, which makes his spine look far more like an "S" than the "I." And his roommate is resting back at home, exhausted from a pair of Vegas nights. "Who says I can't?" I was a little nervous about it," Cable says. And swimming. "Where you going, man?" That sentiment has been followed by so many other coaches that he came across in his career. "We live and die." Preston Gannaway for ESPN. I've always wanted to be a head coach.". Meanwhile, Sports Illustrated currently ranks Manning as the No. We are all special. And swimming. He couldn't get enough. "Anything in the world that is worth doing, he's done it with his mind," Bob says. The coach nods and says "thank you.". 14 prospect in the state of Tennessee . I don't want to be put on a pedestal. That's not me," Mendez says. After a few minutes of conversation, he seemed like any other football coach having a beer on a Friday night. This standout in-state offensive lineman is staying in touch with Clemson's O-line coach. I love it. The positiveness of your mind can get you to do unbelievable things and feats and that's what he does.". Mendez gets a fist-to-shoulder bump from every Sobrato player. And different is not bad. This time it's flawless. What do you want people to say about this team? Prospect High School. We're the ones who feel sorry for them and say, 'Oh you poor thing.' That man was Mike Cable. As they head inside, Mendez looks back at me over McAvoy's shoulder. "It brings out the best in people. After 12 years of working, Prospect High School gave him that chance. The 6-foot-4, 185-pounder completed 60.1% of his passes last season for 5,275 . This also ensures that prospects will have time to interact with the coaches and learn from them in a small group and one-on-one setting. And Mendez had the title he had achingly sought: head coach. Mendez calls his last timeout. It took him more than a half hour - sometimes two steps up, one step down -- but he did it. "You have to believe," he says. In high school, his friends organized a 32-team Madden tournament. Most days Mendez has chronic neck, back and shoulder pain. "I love you, bro. I pick up a fork, stab it into the roll, drag it through a puddle of soy sauce and put it in his mouth. "Be bold and fail, be bold and fail, be bold and succeed. If you plan to attend the game with a prospect and want to sit with him, please be sure to have the prospect list you as a gusest as opposed to submitting . IT'S THE BIGGEST weekend of the year in Gilroy, California, with more than 100,000 people visiting for the annual garlic festival. Keep your heads up. He developed a great football mind, but he wanted more. You guys fought your butts off. Football coach without arms or legs inspires teamBorn without arms or legs, Rob Mendez was never able to play football, but that didn't stop him from pursuing his passion for the game as a coach.ESPN His comes with a straw. Helped North Kansas City to a . "I guess you saw a little bit of the other side tonight. Preston Gannaway for ESPN Georgia Tech Football allows high school football coaches to request two (2) complimentary tickets to attend regular season home football games. On 10/28, the Prospect varsity football team won their neutral playoff game against Reavis (Burbank, IL) by a score of 62-13. "I was drinking to forget. "I'm sorry," he says. Tears begin to fall. "His mind is the greatest thing," Prospect JV Assistant Defensive Coordinator Todd Livingston said. It has given him a life otherwise inaccessible. I know what you're saying. All the honorees will . His torso pushes against his belt. Rob's father saw potential in the happy, spunky baby, but also wrestled with his own emotions, admitting he often asked God "why?" The pain of the loss hurt, but it did not stop his fire. He has spent his life fighting statistics, proving doctors and doubters wrong. "I'm not going to let that happen. The biography of Nick Vujicic, a 36-year-old motivational speaker from Australia who also has tetra-amelia, says there are just seven known people living in the world today with the syndrome. Embrace it. St. Rita High School. In his chair, he is constantly shifting, twisting and adjusting his posture. "That's how humans are -- they adapt. Prospect's lone highlight came on defense when, just before halftime, the Panthers stonewalled Sobrato on four straight plays from the goal line to keep the game scoreless. Who says I can't?'". "It's 37 stretch, right? But seven? "I kept thinking, 'How can this guy possibly coach?'" A few days before Rob was born, doctors walked his father, Robert Mendez Sr., through the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit. "If I can go out there and power through four or five hours, then I'm OK." We're the ones who feel sorry for them and say, 'Oh you poor thing.' "Hey," he says, "Would you mind giving me a hand and putting one of those in my mouth?" "We live and die with each other," he says. Once buckled, Mendez says he feels unstoppable. The driver makes a U-turn, pulls in front of Mendez and flips on his hazards. At first, students and staffers did not quite know what to make of Robert, but it did not take him long to put their fears to rest. Preston Gannaway for ESPN He never quit and now he has everyone asking, "Who says I can't?". Prospect High School, or Prospect, is a public four-year high school in Mount Prospect, Illinois, . And ended each practice with the same message: I love you guys. But after losing the season opener to Santa Clara, his Panthers won seven games in a row. Holding court, triggering laughs and helping people realize for a few minutes that a man in a wheelchair without arms and legs is just like anyone else. It's just me. He needs to use the bathroom. So I try not to complain. Mendez didnt allow his differences to limit him, though, and developed a passion for coaching by learning the game of football by playing Madden video games. He turns his face to the right, pulls his head back and prays. Last April, the varsity coach at Prospect was looking for someone to help change the culture of the Prospect program when he came across Mendez's rsum. SARATOGA, Calif. (KGO) -- Bay Area high school football coach Rob Mendez was born with a rare disorder called tetra-amelia syndrome, leaving him with no arms or legs. Rob has fractured cheek and orbital bones and has the effects of a concussion. Alvernaz hired Mendez to be on his staff, but then followed Mendez to Prospect to be his number two. "I've been getting messages on Twitter . I know I'm good for the kids. 2021: Missouri Football Coaches Association Class 5 first-team all-state selection at defensive end as a junior. What the hell does that even mean? It wasn't like there was a store to buy clothes or toys for children with no arms and legs. He has heard it from their parents and teachers. Rob would set his chin on the ledge of the next step and use that to lift his entire body. His resiliency inspired others around him and made it an asset to have him on the staff. The battery on Mendez's wheelchair is dead, so two Panthers push him onto the field. Fore was named to the Hudl Top 100 in 2017, and the Top 5 Best High School Football Coaches to follow on Twitter by MaxPreps in 2016. Otherwise it won't work. he says. "They would whisper," he says. "They don't have the grief of losing a limb because they never had it. Still does. I lift him out of his chair and carry him to my car, buckling him into the passenger's seat. Andre Jackson gets instructions from Mendez during the team's first game of the season. Mendez gives me directions. Prospect High School JV Football Coach Rob Mendez was born with a rare disorder that left him with no arms or legs. He is 50 pounds of head, neck, torso and waist. As we head back to Gilroy, I ask Mendez if he's aware of the impact he has already had on Prospect players and coaches like assistant Todd Livingston. Make sense?" "It is a quick turnaround that's for sure, "said Prospect coach Dan DeBoeuf, whose team was able to get a full practice completed Monday afternoon. (2007-10), and Wake Forest Demon Decons (2010-14); currently an assistant coach for the Memphis Grizzlies. You hear stories about people with cancer, fighting for their lives. "About damn time," McAvoy says with a grin. I'm sorry." And those kids gave me the feeling that I can do anything." "It gives me this sense of independence. He is mobile thanks to the chair he controls with his head and neck. In his first full season as head coach, he led the Panthers to a playoff birth and a near-perfect season. "Anything in the world that is worth doing, he's done it with his mind," Bob says. Prospect Football History Previous Seasons All-Time Roster 2022-23 ( 183 players) Head Coach: Morales, Joseph ( Fr.) Bob eventually turned to alcohol. It confirmed how much he despises losing. "I appreciate you," Mendez says. When he's away from home, he's careful about what he eats and drinks, often keeping it to no more than an iced coffee. "I think it always will." In most cases of tetra-amelia, death occurs before birth. His team is a mix of freshmen and sophomores, some with a bit of experience, most with little to none. "And the muscles in your neck are not supposed to be used that often. "There was one word my dad never liked -- special," Mendez says. Preston Gannaway for ESPN. He tells his offense he believes in them. You're different. "I know that's there," he says. Aleksic, Danilo ( Fr.) "I'm not the perfect guy. The time away from football has given Mendez a chance to reflect on his first season as a head coach. I couldn't tell you what it felt like to catch a ball in the flat, but I knew what it was and why it worked." Instead, Mendez repeats two words over and over and over: thank you. And just like that, the man who so often projects like everything is fine rips off his facade. There, he drives his chair into the living room, where his roommate and caretaker, Mike McAvoy, waits on the couch. he yells. I lift him out of his chair and carry him to my car, buckling him into the passenger's seat. It confirmed how much he despises losing. Livingston told me Mendez's presence is living proof of what humans are capable of. The battery on Mendez's wheelchair is dead, so two Panthers push him onto the field. "You know how Ironman gets in his suit and he just starts flying everywhere? A few minutes later, he asks if I can follow him home. Scouts evaluate athletes as possible recruits. Mendez screams. He learned to press the buttons with his chin and collarbone. Preston Gannaway for ESPN, A FEW MINUTES after our first beer, a bartender brings Mendez a plate of California rolls. The team jogs over and surrounds him. I just want to be Coach Rob. Bob rushes his son to the hospital. The World Series is on television. "Like a pancake hitting the ground. on demand Sep 30, 2022 2:45 PM PDT. Shaving. "I don't think I could do that to those kids," he says. Finally, after 13 years, he was able to get a job at Prospect High School in California as their high school football coach. "I think every parent worries about their kids when they leave this earth," Bob says. They chose to stay with him. "But I don't think about this the same way everybody else does. More SC Featured He's meeting me at the bar. They chose to stay with him. He towed his friends around the neighborhood on their skateboards. "In life, I feel like I'm always being helped," he says. There is nothing to break his fall. Tolliver, Malachi i, e Easter, Noah ( So.) After. It's just me. For now, I start with a topic far simpler: football. Mendez orders a water. "There you go!" But on this late July night, 30-year-old high school football coach Rob Mendez has a taste for sushi. He can barely open his mouth. "Let's get to the bottom of it. How are you going to get there?" Rob would set his chin on the ledge of the next step and use that to lift his entire body. Embrace it. I think he needs them just as much." "We have unfinished business." Rashada, a California high school star, returned home to the San Francisco suburb of Pittsburg instead of enrolling. 3 quarterback, and No. He briefly leaves Rob in the garage to run inside. The junior quarterback was 24-for-42 . ESPN senior writer Wayne Drehs contributed to the documentary as a writer and reporter. Mendez looks up as the quarterback's pass sails overhead. "And you're risking it all by not wearing an upper belt.". My dad would tell me, 'You're not special, Rob. A very small percentage. Holding court, triggering laughs and helping people realize for a few minutes that a man in a wheelchair without arms and legs is just like anyone else. She says she couldn't look at her son for the first couple of weeks. They sit in front of us, untouched, for nearly 10 minutes. He knew his offense, he knows his x's and o's and he brings an energy to the team, the players and the rest of the coaching staff. Because he weighs 50 pounds, alcohol affects him faster than people who weigh much more. He says thank you. He can barely open his mouth. "Just focus -- you got this." Earlier in the day, Mendez flew home from Las Vegas, a 48-hour escape before the insanity of the season begins. Prior to arriving at Prospect, Martindale was at Wheeling High School for 14 years. But after losing the season opener to Santa Clara, his Panthers won seven games in a row. As they head inside, Mendez looks back at me over McAvoy's shoulder. Prospect High School. I mention that one of the themes I'm thinking about for his story is this idea of a beautiful mind. When his friends went out for football his freshman year of high school, Rob became the team manager. James Hamann Assistant Coach: Paul Hennig Mascot(s): Knight School Administration Superintendent: Dr. David Schuler . Now, he inspires others to be strong and never give up despite adversity. Make sense? Coach Reed, My name is Johnny Appleseed. "Just focus -- you got this.". It's an image his brain can't compute. In an earlier sworn deposition as part of a lawsuit filed by former Valdosta High football coach Alan Rodemaker, Nelson accused Propst of wanting $2,500 per month to pay for rent and other . "Thank you," he says to me after his first sip. And he knew what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. But I learned that I can be a leader. Most everyone recognizes him and says hello. I just want to prove them wrong." Prospect Info. "I just try to shut it down as quickly as possible." He doesn't listen. He is 50 pounds of head, neck, torso and waist. "I don't think I could do that to those kids," he says. "But I don't think about this the same way everybody else does," he says. "I'm not going to lie. There's the answer he feels as if he should deliver. "Home," he answers. ", Born without arms or legs, Rob Mendez was never able to play football, but that didn't stop him from pursuing his passion for the game as a coach.ESPN. If I'm sitting there and don't smile or say hello, I just feel like that's rude." Being personally invited for a visit indicates clear interest from a coach. The biography of Nick Vujicic, a 36-year-old motivational speaker from Australia who also has tetra-amelia, says there are just seven known people living in the world today with the syndrome. "In life, I feel like I'm always being helped," he says. "I was drinking to forget. "The Sobrato loss still bothers me," he says in February. Elk Grove Village, IL. We're going to fake it this way and then waggle out," he says. "I'm pretty good at dealing with pain, and I didn't want to stay home feeling sorry for myself," he says. "I'm not afraid to be myself," he tells me later. His entire body other coaches that he came across in his career never. 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